History of the Jews in Buczacz

Translated by Adam Prager

1.

Buczacz was founded at the end of the 17th century,
[1]
but before it became a town it was a village known for its fortress and
palace, which was built in a characteristic medieval style. The village of
Buczazc was part of the aristocratic Buczaczki family's
estates. The Buczaczki family, whose coat of arms was "abdank,"
excelled in defending Poland's eastern borders and spreading Catholicism and
western culture in those areas. The earliest records concerning this
aristocratic family which built the palace and the fortress go back to 1260 and
1379. One of the noblemen of the Buczaczki domain, the starosta [governor] of
Halicz, Michael of Buczacz, received from Vladislav by way of tenancy the
village of Zloczow. Rent was 100 grzibni and the only condition was that he
live there on a permanent basis.

After some time Michael handed over the Zloczow village to the Sjonski family,
which founded the town of Zloczow there in 1441.

The last member of the Buzcazcki family was Katerina, the daughter of Jacob.
Jacob, who died in 1501, was a voivode [governor] in Belorussia. Katerina
handed over the estate as a dowry to her husband, Jan Taburovski, as well as
the Filaba coat of arms; the Taburovskis accepted the family name of Buczaczki.
At the beginning of the 17th century the Buczacz family estates fell into the hands of the castellan from
Kamenets, Janrze Potocki, who married the daughter of Mikolai, Katerina. And
her brother Jan Krzishtoff Buczaczki, who was known for his fierce struggle
against the Calvinists, died leaving no heirs. From that time on the Buczaczki
estates were in the hands of the Putocki family, who further developed the
estate and perfected the fortress. The one who particularly enlarged the city
was the voivode from Bratslav, Stefan Potocki, who also broadened and perfected
the palace and fortress.

Jews had lived in Buczacz since its estate days. After it became a town their
numbers grew. In official documents Buczacz's Jewish community is mentioned
from the year 1500 and onwards.
[2]
At the beginning of the 16th century, Poland held fairs in Buczacz which were important for its trade with
countries to the east. During this period the Jews had close trade relations
with the merchants of Krakow and especially with the famous wholesaler Jan
Banner.
[3]
Likewise, Jewish wholesalers in Buczacz had trade relations with Turkey. We
know, for example, that in the year 1578-1579 the Jews of Constantinople
together with two Jews from Poland  one of whom was from Buczacz 
brought to Lvov 391 barrels of wine from Lamesia out of the 813 barrels that
were imported that year.
[4]

In the middle of the 16th century the noblemen of Volin, Podolia and Ukraine began an extensive
settlement campaign. During that period they founded a few towns in which many
Jews chose to settle. These were Jews from various districts in Poland and
especially from towns where their lives were a continuous conflict between
themselves and the townsmen. The latter were against Jews living among them and
persecuted them. The Jews, tired of the incessant friction, gave up their
positions and emigrated to the eastern regions and settled in the new towns
which by law were private estates of the noblemen.

These noblemen were interested in the development of their towns and therefore
gladly bestowed upon the Jews many privileges. Here there were no restrictions
concerning trade, work, settlement conditions and housing. All the trade as
well as crafts and industries based on agricultural products were in the hands
of the Jews. They also had the right to vote in municipal council elections and
were exempt from all taxes and payments to the crown treasury. All this was
arranged in order to provide them with convenient development conditions. The
Jews of these towns represented the urban middle class, a class that every
owner of a private town wished to have.

Buczacz was one of these private towns that in the 16th century absorbed a large number of Jews, who in turn founded a community.
This community, like those in other cities in the eastern parts of Belorussia
and Podolia, was affiliated with the regional center in Lvov. We know that in
1521 King Zygmunt the 1st ordered that taxes decided upon in Bidgushets were to be paid by the Jews of
Buczacz to the Jewish collectors.

According to Polish law from 1539, Jews in Poland were divided into two groups:
the crown's Jews and the estate owners' Jews. Thus the Jewish communities in
the private estates  till then under the crown's jurisdiction  passed over
to the hands of the aristocracy, who had the greatest authority in all matters
concerning governance and law. The Jews were given rights and engaged in all
trades, crafts and even industry based on agricultural products. However, the
nobility were authorized to cancel these rights  an authority that was
formerly in the sole hands of the crown.

In matters of taxes, and especially the head tax that was imposed in 1549, the
private Jews were also under the crowns' rule. In the wake of the head tax,
Jewish communities in the towns of the aristocrats, including Buczacz, were
attached to the communities' organization  to the state committees and to
the Council of the Four Lands  that existed from 1581 to 1764.

The communities in the private towns in most cases enjoyed special support from
the towns' owners who were, as stated, very interested in their development.
Thus these communities overshadowed those they originated from and even played
a larger and more important role as regards Jewish autonomy than did the
mother-community. They especially held key positions in the organization of the
district committees.

Buczacz was handed down from one noble family to the other via commercial
transactions, marital relations and inheritance. However, the constitutional
basis for the Jews' life in the town remained unchanged during these
transitional periods. In the middle of the 17th century the Cossacks raided Buczacz (the calamities of 1648). The Jews fought
alongside their fellow townsmen. Armed with rifles and gunpowder and sometimes
manning the cannons, the Jewish population defended the town together with the
Christians. The town suffered a great deal during the Tatar wars (1655-1667),
and the Turkish wars (1672-1675), when Sultan Muhamed the 4th put Buczacz under a long siege after conquering Kamenets-Podolskiy. In Buczacz
in 1672, under the great linden tree behind the palace, the Sultan dictated
severe surrender and peace terms to King Michael Vishniovitzk (1669-1673).
Poland relinquished Podolia and the Ukraine to the Turks and was committed to
pay an annual tax.

The Jews of Buczazc went through a difficult period during the years 1648-1676.
However, in 1648 the Cossacks failed to conquer the city, which fended them off
and withstood them due to its strong fortress. The Cossacks were forced to
retreat and had to make do with burning the surrounding villages.

After a while life returned to normal.

Ulrich Werdum, who visited Poland in the years 1670-1672, relates his
impressions of Buczacz, which he visited in 1672, in his memoirs:

Buczacz is a large and amusing (possierlich) town spread over mountains
and a valley with a lake to the West. The town is surrounded by a wall; its
houses are well built. It has three Catholic churches and a Ukrainian
monastery, now run by the Dominicans. The Armenians also have a church, and the
Jews have a synagogue and a well-kept fence-encircled cemetery with beautiful
large trees growing in it. The castle is made of stone, as are its fortresses.
It lies on the top of the mountain where the Stripa River, originating from the
village of Zlotnik 6 miles away, flows at its sides. The river supplies the
power for 10 to 12 water-mills placed beside each other. The town of Buczacz is
the estate of Lord Potocki. At the beginning of the raid, the Cossacks and the
Muscals set fire to the whole town, which has now been rebuilt, especially by the Jews. They
(the Jews) are numerous here, as in Poland and Belorussia.
[5]

Later on the Jews suffered greatly from the various armies passing through and
the many invasions by Poland's enemies. In the year 1648 many Jewish refugees
from the Ukraine who were fleeing from the Chmelnitski gangs found refuge in
Buczacz. Among them was R' Yaakov Eliyahu Ben-Moshe Meir of Sharigrod, who was
chosen to be the community's rabbi.

Faced by the danger of the Turkish invasion in 1674, the Jews of Buczacz took
part in a joint meeting of nobility and state and municipal officials to
discuss defense procedures. Special supervisors were chosen for each of the
town's quarters. In the Jewish quarter, the community leader R' Yerakhmiel was
chosen.

In 1675, when the Turks attacked the town, the aristocrats and townspeople
succeeded in fleeing into the fortress. The town was burnt to the ground and
many Jews that failed to escape were captured by the Turks outside the fortress
gates and slaughtered on the spot. Those in the fortress defended themselves
gallantly, maintaining their resistance until the army arrived under the
command of Jan Soviski the 3rd, who drove away the Turks.

However, the town's relief did not last long. A year later (1676), the Turks
lead by their commander Ibrahim Shaytan invaded Zhorbano. Again Buczacz was
conquered and ruined completely, not one house being left. However, Jan Sobiski
succeeded in defeating the Turks near Zhorbano and dictated to them the
Zhorbano peace terms, according to which Turkey was compelled to return two
thirds of the Ukraine, leaving only one third to Turkish rule. All annual tax
payments were cancelled and the issue concerning the return of Podolia was
postponed for future negotiation.
[6]

After the wars with Turkey, the Jewish population of Buczacz and its
surroundings dwindled to such a degree that the Polish aristocracy of the
Halicz district (Ziemia halicka) ordered their delegates in Warsaw to ask the
king to release the Jews of Buczacz (including Jews of Tarnopol, Podheytse, and
the rest of the district's towns) from all head tax (poglowne), for the
Halicz Law commands every man to stand beside his fellow man,
[7]
Also, in the year 1713 when Buczacz Jews suffered greatly from Russian
invasion, the Vice-Minister of Finance Pshendovski released them from paying
the head tax.

When the war ended, Jan Potocki rebuilt the town. In 1684, Buczacz (according
to the traveler Daleyrac who visited Poland that year and saw Buczacz), was a
town built of large, high-storied houses. The Jews were living in the center of
town in houses not yet restored, while the castle and fortress were completely
rebuilt. During those years  in the second half of the 17th century  the large synagogue of the Jews was built next to the Stripa
River. The situation of the Jewish settlement improved and it became
financially sound.

The official documents concerning the community's privileges that were
destroyed during the catastrophic years were renewed by Stefan Potocki on May 20th and they are a carbon copy of the privileges that were given years before to
Chortkov and Stanislavov, also by the Potockis. They are actually no more than
a confirmation of the rights given in the past. At the head of the document it
is emphasized that Stefan Potocki is renewing and authorizing the rights given
the Jews by the former town owners.

According to the bill of privileges, Jews are permitted to reside in the town
as well as to deal in crafts and wholesale and retail trade, excepting
Christian religious articles. Due to their bad state following the fire, they
were exempt from all city and castle taxes for 12 years. At the end of this
period, they are to pay one taller for each house whose front faced the street
and half a taller for an extension. According to the old arrangements, the Jews
were given free passage through the area between the church and the synagogue
built by their fathers. Furthermore, Potocki gives them more land in order to
expand their cemetery, and the right to construct a building for the caretaker,
who will be free of all tax payments. The bill of rights frees them for good
from payment of general taxes such as corvee, tithe, castle maintenance duties,
and cattle tax. However, like all the other townspeople, they had to pay road
maintenance expenses. The Jews are not subject to the municipal law courts but
to the Buczacz castle commissioner. They have a right to appeal before the town
owner, but are under no obligation to present themselves on Sabbath. It is
forbidden to hold them in a cold prison, except for penal crimes. It is
forbidden to hold the weekly market day on a Sabbath. Conflicts and trials
between Jews are under the jurisdiction of the Jewish rabbinic courts.

Jewish butchers are exempt from supplying pork to the castle. However, they
must supply the castle annually with one stone [8]
of tallow and a large haunch of meat every week to the deputy starost
[governor].

Jews are permitted to purchase houses from Christians, to build breweries and
wineries, to produce salt and liquors, while fulfilling their obligations as in
the past. They were also given the right to keep taverns. In another bill of
privileges from 1706, it is emphasized that the rights of the Jewish craftsmen
are equal to those of the Christian craftsmen. They must be members of the
general craft guilds and pay all general taxes. However, as Jews they are
exempt from all religious duties of the Christian craftsmen, such as
churchgoing, participation in religious processions, and obligatory candle
contributions to the church. But they must pay all candle fees, including
tallow expenses, etc. to the castle and the church. (In 1799, the Roman
Catholic church filed a complaint in the municipality against the Jewish and
Christian furriers for not contributing their share of tallow. In that year
there were fourteen furriers in Buczacz, eight of whom were Jews. The
Christian furriers claimed that due to their modest numbers, and the bad state
they were in, they could not provide their proper share. They suggested that
the Jews, being more prosperous, contribute all the tallow. The mayor ruled
that both Christians and Jews must give their share. {Baracz, p. 97-98}. On
May 19th 1799, the community requested that Jews not be punished bodily but rather be
imprisoned and that the communal leaders be present at their trials. This
request was granted by the authorities.)

The 1699 statutes state that the Jews of Buczacz will have the same rights and
freedom as the Christian townspeople, It is stated explicitly that a Jewish
treasurer will be chosen who will be present when the town collects taxes from
the Jews. Furthermore, the Jews must join in defending the castle in times of
danger Buczacz Jews were also given the right to be elected to the town's
council elections.
[9]

This bill of privileges, approved by the town owners that came after Stefan
Potocki (approved on Oct. 2nd 1737 by Mikolai Potocki, and on Oct. 3rd 1768 and March 26th 1777) determined the relations between the Jews, town owners and townsmen,
enabling the Jews to live in a safe environment. In 1723 Potocki had declared
in a special article of the bill of privileges, which was presented to the town
hall, that there was to be a guard in the market composed of four people, two
of whom must originate from the Jewish community. Potocki also tried to improve
the financial state of the town and supported the Jews, whom he believed to be
the sole factor for the town's financial development.

Due to these conditions, Jewish trade grew in the well-known markets of 17th century Buczacz. Besides trade, industry and crafts, the Jews also leased
taverns in the suburbs and nearby villages. Furthermore, many of them engaged
in crop and animal trade, especially in bulls and horses. Among the Buczacz
Jews there were also wholesalers who conducted large-scale business ventures
with foreign countries.

2.

Community life in Buczacz developed in the same fashion as in other communities
in Poland. At the head of the community stood a committee consisting of:

3-5 community leaders responsible to the authorities, and elected each year. Once
elected they swore allegiance to Poland and were only officially installed
after the voivode of the state and private towns gave his consent. In Buczacz,
for example, consent from the town owner or his empowered assistant was
necessary;

3-5 respected citizens, c) members of the community committees.
The community officials were a rabbi, religious judges, preachers, community
scribe and the synagogue caretaker. All matters between the community and
authorities were taken care of by the intercessor (syndicus).

In addition to the above, the community had a doctor, a pharmacist, a medical
assistant, a midwife, guards, tax collectors and messengers.

Within the community there were many societies, such as the khevra kadisha
[Jewish burial society], and the craftsmen's guild which took care of its
interests among the Christian guilds, in the municipality and within the
community.

In 1658 on the initiative of the Belorussia nobility, regional committees were
established in Saymek, Vishnia, followed by formation of the Lvov regional
committee including the communities of Brody, Zhulkva, Tismanets,
Borodshin, Rohatyn, Lisko, Zloczow and Buczacz.

The Lvov community conducted all state committee matters to such an extent that
the town leaders enjoyed control (hegemony) without letting the rural
communities take part. However, with Lvov's weakening due to the political
upheavals after the wars of the 17th century, the rural communities took control from the Lvov leaders. The community of Zhulkva, which was a branch of the Lvov community (przykahalek)
succeeded, with support from the town owner, King Jan Sobiski, to free itself
completely from Lvov's authority. Furthermore, it started taking over the
regional committee. Together with Zhulkva, the communities of Brody, Tarnopol
and Buczacz also made themselves heard. Buczacz's rabbi was chosen as the
regional rabbi. Following the wars, many Jews from Lvov left for other towns
due to the poor financial situation; this made it hard for those who stayed to
pay taxes. Matters reached such a state that the Belorussia nobility complained
in Saymek, Vishnia in April 1701,
[10]
stating that due to the mass migration of Jews to Podolia, where they were
free under Turkish law from head tax, all the weight fell upon the few Jews who
stayed behind. Therefore, taxes should be decided upon according to population
size. The Lvov Jews especially suffered; they were forced to pay 1/7 of the
head tax for all the Lvov region.

The issue concerning tax distribution was taken care of only in 1716, from
which date the Belorussia Jews and the Podolia Jews paid their taxes
separately.

Within the Lvov district a harsh power struggle amongst the Jewish communities
took place. Slowly the rural town representatives succeeded in taking over most
of the region's top positions. In 1664, Buczacz members of the regional
committee who met in Swierz with representatives from Zhulkva, Przemishl,
Yaborov, Kolomea, and Brody attacked the Lvov community, which consequently was
forced to relinquish its monopoly and to attend to the views of all other
representatives of the regional committee. Buczacz's representative in this
committee was the town leader Rabbi David Preger, a prominent figure not only
in the history of the Buczacz community but also in the history of the
autonomous institutions of Polish Jewry in general.

David Ben Yitskhak of Prague, popularly known as R' David Preger of Buczacz,
was one of the community and regional leaders. In 1676 and 1679 he signed a
promissory note, borrowing a sum of 7200 Belorussian tallers from Gabriel
Miltner of Breslau, to be paid back in four installments in 1682, 1686, 1688
and 1689. He participated in the Council of the Four Lands.
[11]
Preger died in 1697.

In 1700, in addition to two town leaders from Lvov, there were already seven
representatives from the communities of Brody, Zhulkva, Stri, Tismanitse,
Tsernalitse, Kosov, and Zalushtse in the regional committee. In 1720, the
Buczacz representative palyed an important roll in the regional committee at
Kolikov. This committee consisted of five representatives from Zhulkva, three
from Brody, and one each from Bohorodatsani, Stri, Rohatyn, Zlotchov and
Buczacz.

In this period the Buczacz community was headed by R' Aryeh Leyb, a wealthy and
pious man, who was called by the people R' Leibush the head of
state.

R' Aryeh Leyb was the son of R' Yitskhak of Yaborov (Yakhorover) and the
son-in- law of R' David Ben Aryeh-Leyb son of Shmuel-Tsvi Hirsh, the author of
Sheagat Aryeh [Lion's Roar], who was head of the rabbinic court of Brisk deLita and a
distinguished citizen of Zamosc.

R' Aryeh-Leyb had much influence over his community and was its representative
for a few years at the regional committee. Thanks to his activity and energy in
public matters, he became one of the committee's spokesmen and, later on, its
head.

In 1720, when Hagaon R' Yehoshua Falk, author of
Pney Yehoshua [The Face of Joshua], was in danger of losing his rabbinic chair in Lvov, R'
Aryeh stood up for him and convened the regional committee at Kolikov in his
interest.

As is known, R' Yehoshua Falk (1756-1681) was chosen after the death of the
Khakham Tsvi in 1718 as the rabbi of Lvov and vicinity. However, a
short time after his being chosen, a certain wealthy man tried to gain the
position for his son-in- law, R' Khayim Ben-Lizaral, who was the grandson of
the Lvov Rabbi R' Pinkhas Moshe Kharif. His father-in-law, who was mediator for
the voivode Yavlonovski, succeeded in buying Yavlonovski's help as well as the
support of some of the community leaders. Thus, In 1720 when R' Yehoshua's
rabbinical appointment ended, the community did not renew it, but chose R'
Khayim Ben-Lizaral to be the rabbi of Lvov and vicinity. The choice was
approved by the voivode Yavlonovski.

R' Yehoshua was forced to leave Lvov and moved to Buczacz, the home of R' Aryeh
Leibush, his father-in-law. R' Aryeh Leybush's daughter, Shifra, was married to
his son, R' Yissakhar Podhitse.
[12]

R' Yehoshua Falk turned to the regional communities of Lvov, who decided in his
favor and did not recognize R' Khayim as the regional rabbi.

At the regional committee session that convened in Kolikov at the initiative of
R' Aryeh Leibush' on July 17th, 1720, R' Khayim was ostracized. This verdict stressed that "we, the
region's citizens, are independent of the sacred community of Lvov and of any
rabbi it might choose. However, all the communities of the region consider
themselves subject solely to R' Yehoshua, who may settle in any of our
communities and where he settles will be the seat of rabbinical
authority."

R' Yehoshua settled in Buczacz for another reason too. The starosta in Buczacz,
Kinovski, was in dispute with the voivode Yavlonovski, a fact that ensured R'
Yehoshua's safety.

R' Yehushua resided in Buczacz until 1730 when he was invited to be rabbi in
Berlin.
During the struggle of the region against the Lvov community, R' Aryeh Leibush
played an active roll and contributed much to its independence.

During these years there resided in Buczacz a wealthy man, R' Shimson, and his
wife Reyzl, daughter of R' Efraim Fishl, head of the rabbinic court of Kolomea
(died in 1783).

In 1752 this couple had a son named Meshulam. He was the well known Gaon R'
Meshulam Igra. He spent his childhood in the home of his rabbi, the rabbi of
Kolomia.

His father, who saw that his son was destined to greatness, gave him a basic
education and then provided him with well-known tutors. At age nine the son
already amazed his teachers with his shrewdness and knowledge of the Talmud. In
1761 he gave a Sabbath sermon at the great synagogue in Brody in the presence
of the town rabbi, R' Itsikl Hamburger (R' Yitskhak Halevi Horovits). At the
age of 13 he married the daughter of the wealthy town leader of Brody, Shmuel
Bik. However, after a short time his wife divorced him and in 1768 he married
Rivka Esther, daughter of the Rabbi of Brody, R' Yitskhak Horovits. In 1768 R'
Meshulam Igra became the rabbi of Tismanitse and maintained close contact with
the rabbis of his hometown, Buczacz, until 1784 when he left to serve as rabbi
of the Pressburg community.

Up to the end of the 18th century the rabbis of Buczacz were:

R' Yaakov Eliyahu Ben-Moshe Mak, who escaped in the 1648 calamities from
Sharigrod, and was a rabbi in Buczacz;

R' Elkhanan Ben-Ze'ev Volf, author of
Dat Yekutiel (Zhulkva, 1696); his son, R' Abele, was the son-in-law of the Parnas of the Council of the Four Lands, R' Tsvi Ben Shimshon Maisels of Belz, who was active in the
meetings of the Council during the years 1667, 1678, 1690, 1691. [13] His grandson, R' Shimshon Ben-Yaakov, was a rabbi in Zhulkva.

R' Moshe, a native of Zhulkva, was head of the rabbinic court of Buczacz for
several years, and was afterwards chosen to be a religious court judge in
Zhulkva;

Up until 1740, R' Aryeh Leibush Bar Mordekhai Madrish Auerbakh was a rabbi in
Buczacz;
[14]
he was an uncle and rabbi of R' Meir Margolius author of the responsa
Meir Netivim [Illuminator of Paths]. One of his daughters married R' Naftali Hirts Broda,
head of the rabbinic court in Kolinits, and second to R' Khayim, one of the
worthies of Zhulkva. In 1740 R' Aryeh Leibush was chosen rabbi in Stanislav
where he served in the rabbinate until his death in Stanislav in 1750;

Meir Ben Hirts, who was also a state rabbi and in 1775 signed a census list of
Jews in Buczacz and vicinity;
[15]

R' Tsvi Hirsh Ben Yaakov Kara was born 1740 and died in 1814 in Buczacz.

In 1794 after being invited to serve as rabbi in Pressburg the Gaon R' Meshulam
Igra spoke to the rabbis of the regional towns, who came to visit him in
Tishminitse in order to depart from him: "I appointed to this region the
Gaon Tsvi Hirsh Kara, head of the rabbinic court of Buczacz, who was an
outstanding teacher. Address all difficult problems to him." From then on
all the distinguished rabbis of Galicia turned to him with all their questions
and doubts.
[16]
R' Tsvi Hirsh corresponded with all the great rabbis of his generation, such
as R' Jacob of Lisa, R' Aryeh Horovits of Stanislav, R' Efraim Zalman Margolius
of Brody, R' Yehoshua Heshel, head of the Tarnopol rabbinic court. After his
death, his responsa Neta Shaashuim(Zhulkva 1829) was published.

3.

During the days of struggle with the Sabbateans in the eastern areas of Poland,
the Jews of Buczacz were influenced by this movement.

As we know, in these parts the Sabbatean movement had a considerable stronghold,
which succeeded in infiltrating into the circles of rabbis and scholars. The
Sabbatean teachings were brought here by Jews from Turkey who settled in
Kaminets-Podolsk at the time of the Ottoman conquest and who succeeded in
spreading Sabbateanism among the Jews of Podolia. Besides communities such as
Busk, Glinyani, Tishiminetse, Horodenka, Nadvorne, Podheytse, Zbaraz, Zloczow,
Kamyunka and Rohatyn in which there were many Sabbateans, followers of the
movement were also to be found in Buczacz, an important center for this sect.
In their early years they operated in secrecy without raising suspicion,
content to distribute words of heresy and recruit followers. They held constant
contact with Shabtai Tsvi's emissaries, at first with Khayim Malakh, who was
born in Poland and set out for Turkey at the end of the 17th century where he joined Shabtai Tsvi. He later returned to Poland in 1700 by
way of Vienna and Berlin in order to strengthen the belief in Shabtai Tsvi.

On this trip he visited mainly in Belorussia, assuming that the sect had
already become established there and had many followers. He visited Zhulkva,
Horodenka, Podheytse and Buczacz. His sermons won many converts who believed
his words.

After the failure of the Hasidim who emigrated to Erets-Yisrael headed by R'
Yehuda Khasid, Khayim Malach visited Poland in 1715 for the second time.
However, this time R' Khakham Tsvi warned his brother R' Shaul, head of the
rabbinic court of Krakow, of this sect and especially of the Bad
Angel Khayim Malakh.

After Malach left Belorussia, the Sabbateans of Buczacz were in contact with
Moshe Meir of Kamionka  one of the sect's most prominent propagandists in
Poland, with his brother-in-law Fishl (Fayvl) of Zloczow and with the preacher
Yissakhar of Podheytse. We can also assume that they were in contact with the
known Sabbatean of Zhulkva  Yitskhak Kadeyner. From testimonies
concerning the Buczacz Sabbateans that were given in 1726 in a Buczacz house of
study, we hear that two of the treacherous movement members that were in
Buczacz went to Nadvorne and exchanged wives with each other. In Nadvorne
all the heretics were followers of Shabtai Tsvi.
[17]
Among the Buczacz Sabbateans in the mid-18th century were Mordechai Ben-Moshe and Yissachar Ben Natan. These two were
involved also in the matter concerning R' Jonathan Eybeschuetz [1690-1764] and
his book VeAvo Hayom El HaAyin,” which raised quite an uproar among the rabbis and leaders of Polish Jewry in
the years 1751-1752 due to its Sabbatean character. In a testimony given in
1752 by Natan Levi before a body of rabbinical judges in the rabbinic court of
Brody, we hear from Natan Levi that a citizen of Buczacz, whose name was
Mordechai Ben-Moshe, came to Stanislavov as a spokesman. I pointed to the words
of heresy in Eybeschuetz's book in order that he understand, for which he
thanked me and confessed and attested to his sins, for he was a believer in
such heresy until that day. He added these words: These teachings I have
learned from R' Yissakhar Bar Natan of Buczacz and these writings are sent to
him by R' Yonatan of Prague. These writings were sent by him and were
spread by him and his friends all the way to Salonica.
[18]

Remnants of these Sabbateans joined Jacob Frank's group following his arrival
in Belorussia.

A fable spread among the people stating that Frank was born in Korolovka, one
of the suburbs of Buczacz. However, this is only a myth. It is true that he was
born in Korolovka, but not in a suburb of Buczacz, but rather in the small town
of Korolovka where his cousins were still residing in 1756. We do not know how
many followers he had in Buczacz, but we can say for sure that there were
Frankists there at the time. It is known that the majority of his supporters
came from Busk and Glinyani, which is the reason why they requested from the
Primas Lubinski, in an official request dated May 16th 1759, that they receive a permanent foothold in Busek and Glinyani, making it
into an autonomous district of sorts.

One Buczacz Frankist we know of is "Itsik Meir Bashush Zlatshover Hadar of
the sacred community of Buczacz from a testimony
[19]
given on the 2nd of Sivan 1756 before the rabbinic court of Satanov concerning the lechery in Lantskron. He brought to R' Shlomo Segal of Lantskron Sabbatean writings, among
them Jonathan Eybeschuetz's book VeAvo Hayom El HaAyin.

It is interesting that there were no Buczacz Jews among the Frankists who
converted in Lvov following the historic dispute in that city from July 17th through September 10th 1759.

In the 18th century the financial situation of the Buczazc Jews was good enough to enable
them to trade according to the 1699 statutes. However, one cannot deny that
most of the population suffered from the tax burden that was laid upon the Jews
at the time. During the years 1713-1714 the Jews of Buczacz paid 1200 gulden
for head tax alone.
[20]
In addition to this the community paid interest on its debts and collected
various other taxes.

Their representatives in the regional committee watched over their interests
and joined with the representatives of Zhulkva and Brody to achieve
independence from the Lvov center. It is interesting to point out that whenever
the appointment of a state rabbi was on the agenda, Buczacz always put forward
a rival candidate. In the latter half of the 18th century, a prominent tobacco merchant named Avrahamtshik of Buczacz imported
tobacco from Turkey for a well known Polish tobacco company. He was a partner
of Fayvel Ben-Shimshon (Samsonowicz) of Kamenets-Podolskiy.
[21]

In 1765, the census of Jews in Buczacz recorded 1055 persons (988 adults and 67
children); in the surrounding vicinity there were 303 persons (278 adults, 25
children). A total sum of 1358 Jews (1267 adults, 91 children).

After the death of Stefan Potocki in 1727, his wife Joanna of the house of
Sieniavski administered Buczacz till her death in 1733. Her heir, Mikolai
Potocki, advanced the town  he built the city hall in Gothic style and
founded the first high school [gymnasium]. The Jewish community was pressed
financially and borrowed from him 1000 gulden at 10% interest. The loan was
effected by the communal leaders.

Lazar Falkov. Yaakov Ben-Yaakov and Yosef Ben-Betsalel. On August the 10th 1747, Potocki ordered the community to provide substitute payment; namely, to
give the Greek church (on a permanent basis) 250 liters of tallow in three
payments per month.[22] However,
the community did not agree with this demand and
was forced by a court ruling of May 10th 1758 to pay the debt.

In 1772 with the first division of Poland, Buczacz was annexed to the Kingdom
of Austria and its fate was that of all the communities in Galicia. In the
first division Buczacz belonged to the Zalshatsiki district and later on to the
Stanislavov district.

Israel Halperin, Pinkas Of the Council of Four Lands, pp. 156, 159, 169, 184, 206, 212, 213, 215.
Back

Aryeh Leyb had three sons:

Zekharia Mendel who was the student of R. Yehoyshue Falk and later rabbi
in Podheytse (author of Menorat Zekharia ???, 1936)

Naftali Hirts Mendel was the son-in-law of Rabbi Avraham of
Stanislav and father-in-law of Rabbi Jacob, Head of the rabbinical court of
Lithuania and author of Khavat-Daat [Opinion]

Akiba, who was a well known man of means. As to his two
daughters, Shifra was married to the son of Rabbi Yehoyshue Falk and the second
to Rabbi Tsvi, Head of the rabbinical court in Manastirziske. Back

1) Tsvi Hirsh Rozanes, Head of the rabbinical court in Bulikhov and, after the
death of the Gaon R' Mordechai Ze'ev Orenstein,
Head of the rabbinical court in
Lwow.

2) Sarah

* In his old age he emigrated to Erets-Yisrael, becoming a prominent person in Jerusalem. Return
** He lived in Zhulkov and was a regional head in the province of Lwow. He
took part in the council meeting at Kolikov in the month of Shevet, 1689 and
was one of the leaders of the Council of the Four Lands in the years 1673,
1683-1689. Return

Israel Halperin, Pinkas Of the Council of Four Lands, pp. 109, 160, 163, 166, 215, 216, 221. XXIII-498.
Back

Head of the rabbinical court of Bomberg and surrounding region. He was the
brother of the mother of the Gaon R' David Openheim, head of the rabbinical
court of Prague and son of Rabbi David, son of the sister of the author of
Torey zahav [Pillars of Gold] (Ephraim Zalman Margoliouth,
Sefer maalot hayokhsin, pp. 72, 78. Back

Tsvi Hurvits, Sefer kitvey hageonim [Writings of the Highest
Rabbinical Authorities], Piotrkow, 1928, p. 199. In the court house of Buczacz an
interesting Polish document was found; dated 20 Tammuz 1785, it is signed in
Polish by Rabbi Tsvi Hirsh, son of Jacob Kara, and by the rabbinical judge
Akiba of Podheytse. In it a Buczacz resident, Khayim Gabriel ben Pesakh of
Trambubla, declares his wish to increase the dowry which his wife, Luba bas
Arye, received from her father and to will it in his will. See Appendix 5.
Back

G[ershom] Scholem, "Brukhia, Head of the Sabbateans in
Salonika," Zion, 1941, p. 193.Back

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